Paid employment can be substituted for volunteer hours to qualify for Bright Futures scholarships, under a bill signed Monday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis said the measure (HB 461) will help students who have to work and are unable to meet volunteer-hour requirements.
By Jim Turner
Nearly 150 laws that Florida legislators passed this year are set to hit the books Friday. The new laws range from a record $109.9 billion budget to naming a state dessert.
Some of the measures face legal challenges, such as a bill that would prevent abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and a bill that would restrict how race-related concepts are taught in schools and workplace training.
In all, lawmakers sent 280 bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Of that total, 149 that were signed or were awaiting signatures Monday had July 1 effective dates. Seventy-five took effect immediately when signed. Others are slated to take effect Oct. 1, Jan. 1 or at other times.
